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Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of capital efficiency on the economic growth of Bangladesh using the Harrod-Domar (H-D) model. Design/methodology/approach – We use annual data from 1980 to 2019 for this paper. Three steps are taken in the data analysis. First, to check the existence of a unit root, we use the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test and to determine co-integration among the variables, we use the Johansen-Juselius co-integration test. Next, for long-run estimation, we use the dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) estimator. The sensitivity of the long-run estimations is further checked by the fully modified OLS (FMOLS) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) estimators. Lastly, we use the Granger causality test to determine the long-run causality among the variables. Findings – The long-run co-integration test validates the co-integrating relationship among the variables. DOLS estimations reveal that the economic growth of Bangladesh is negatively associated with the incremental capital output ratio (ICOR), validating the notion that capital efficiency matters for achieving higher economic growth. On average, an increase in ICOR by a unit tends to reduce economic growth in the long term by 0.75 percent. Our results also reveal no significant relationship between savings and economic growth when the model is extended. Finally, causality results indicate unidirectional causality between ICOR and economic growth. Practical implications – Based on the results obtained, we argue that the enhancement of capital productivity could bring efficiency because ICOR is an inverse of capital productivity. Since Bangladesh’s capital productivity is considerably low compared with other neighbouring countries, it is suggested that firms should gradually move towards technological advancement and enhance economies of scale, etc. in the long run. Moreover, policies in favour of continuous skill development programmes could be highly effective in increasing capital productivity given that capital follows a vintage structure. Originality/value – This is the first paper to analyse the economic growth pattern of Bangladesh using the traditional H-D model by incorporating variables such as savings and ICOR and also by relaxing the assumption of time-invariant (i.e. fixed) data of the variables. Moreover, this paper extends the traditional H-D empirical model by introducing key indicators and time breaks for Bangladesh’s economy through a stepwise regression process.

Abstract Objective Carotid artery web is a possible cause of ischemic stroke, especially in young patients who lack conventional risk factors. The immediate and long‐term outcomes are not well studied. We aimed to determine the association between an ipsilateral carotid web and in‐hospital stroke recurrence. Methods We analyzed data from adult patients admitted with an acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion at a Comprehensive Stroke Center between July 2015 and March 2023. The primary outcome was in‐hospital stroke recurrence and secondary outcome was in‐hospital recurrent LVO. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the association between ipsilateral carotid web and recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent LVO. Results Of the 1463 patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion, 27 (1.8%) had an ipsilateral carotid artery web. Patients with carotid web were younger (median age (IQR), 60 years (53–67 years) versus 74 years (62–84 years), P

Abstract Ascites remains a significant challenge in patients with cirrhosis, posing difficulties in management and affecting prognosis. This review examines the current understanding of ascites, including its underlying mechanisms, symptoms, and treatment options, with a specific focus on the innovative Alfa Pump device. The review begins by discussing traditional approaches to managing ascites while also addressing their limitations and potential complications. It then explores the emergence of the Alfa Pump system, a novel implantable device designed to tackle refractory ascites by continuously draining fluid from the abdomen while minimizing circulatory issues. Through a synthesis of current literature and clinical evidence, this narrative review underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of ascites, with a particular emphasis on the evolving role of the Alfa Pump in improving outcomes and quality of life for patients with refractory ascites.

An alternating way of replacing the missing teeth involves the use of implants. In implant dentistry, an adequate amount of bone is crucial for the long-term prognosis. Bone volume loss can be caused by congenital, post-traumatic or post-surgical abnormalities, as well as disease processes. In scenarios with a bone defect at a site, where the primary stability of an implant cannot be established or where implant placement is not achievable in the best possible position for subsequent prosthetic therapy, guided bone regeneration before implantation represents the method of choice. During implant placement, a partial discrepancy between the implant’s surface and the socket’s osseous walls frequently leaves the peri-implant region with insufficient bone. It has been shown that barrier membranes can be successfully placed to allow the peri-implant space to be filled with new bone rather than lowering the height of the alveolar ridge to produce a sufficient breadth for implantation.

Background and Objectives: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is defined by the presence of viable microorganisms in the bloodstream. BSI is one of the major causes of sepsis and subsequent adverse clinical outcomes all across the globe. The present study was undertaken to identify clinico-epidemio-microbiological variables associated with 30-day mortality in patients having BSI with WHO priority pathogens. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at a public sector tertiary care institute in central India from April 2019 to March 2021. Blood samples collected from patients with clinical suspicion of sepsis, were processed by automated bacterial culture system and interpreted as per CLSI guidelines. Calculated sample size was 150. Data was analyzed by R software. Results: Respiratory tract infection was the most common source (43.3%) of BSI, followed by the gastrointestinal (20%) and urinary tract (18.7%). Among the patients, 33% required invasive mechanical ventilation, and 31% required inotropes. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was the most common co-morbidity (34%). The incidence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) was 59.3%. Escherichia coli was the most commonly (24%) isolated organism, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.3%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (16%). Conclusion: Higher age, higher qSOFA score / SIRS score / mean SOFA score at presentation had higher mortality. Use of mechanical ventilation and inotropes during treatment and isolation of critical category organisms of WPP and multi drug resistant organisms were independent 30-day mortality predictors.

Background & Objective: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition in older males, primarily responsible for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a frequently utilized surgical procedure for BPH management, has mixed effects on erectile function (EF). The objective of this study is to evaluate the changes in EF following TURP in patients with BPH. Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted at Bilawal Medical College for Boys, LUMHS Jamshoro, involving 261 male subjects between the ages of 50 and 70 who underwent TURP. Evaluation of EF was carried out before and after the surgical procedure using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scoring system. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 60.47 years, and the mean duration of BPH prior to surgery was 15.83 months. The mean IIEF score prior to surgery was 16.72, which notably decreased to 11.50 after surgery. This decline was statistically significant (p < 0.001), and this trend remained consistent across variables such as age, duration of BPH, and prostate volume. Conclusion: The study concludes that TURP significantly correlates with a decline in EF among patients with BPH. These outcomes highlight the necessity for comprehensive preoperative counseling about the potential impacts on sexual health for patients considering TURP.

Summary: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with no targeted therapeutics. The luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype constitutes 15% of TNBC and is enriched for androgen receptor (AR) and AR target genes. Here, we show that a cohort of TNBC not only expresses AR at a much higher rate (∼80%) but also expresses AR splice variants (AR-SVs) (∼20%), further subclassifying LAR-TNBC. Higher AR and AR-SV expression and corresponding aggressive phenotypes are observed predominantly in specimens obtained from African American women. LAR TNBC specimens are enriched for interferon, Janus kinase (JAK)-signal activator and transducer (STAT), and androgen signaling pathways, which are exclusive to AR-expressing epithelial cancer cells. AR- and AR-SV-expressing TNBC cell proliferation and xenograft and patient-tumor explant growth are inhibited by AR N-terminal domain-binding selective AR degrader or by a JAK inhibitor. Biochemical analysis suggests that STAT1 is an AR coactivator. Collectively, our work identifies pharmacologically targetable TNBC subtypes and identifies growth-promoting interaction between AR and JAK-STAT signaling.

Introduction: - Urolithiasis is a widespread health problem. The objective of this research was to contrast the use of shock waves extracorporeals lithotripsies’ (ESWL) versus ureterorenoscopy (URS) for the proximal ureteric stones treatment. Ureteric stone is a common disease of urinary system in Pakistan. Despite ongoing success in endourological stone treatment, question about optimal management of proximal ureteric stone still remains debatable amongst urologist; therefore this study is being performed to find an appropriate and effective tool to treat ureteric stones. Objective: - For patients with large proximal ureteric gallstones, our goal was to compare the advantages of ureterorenoscopy with shock wave extracorporeal lithotripsy (ESWL) (10–15 mm). Settings: The Karachi-based Sindh Hospital of Urology & Transplantation's Urology Department. Duration: 6 months from 28-01-2022 to 28-07-2022 Design: Randomized control trial Subject and Methods: Sixty people were enrolled in the trial, all of whom had a single, radio-opaque stone in the proximal ureter detected by IVU. Thirty patients received ESWL and thirty received URS, both at random. After 3 weeks, x-ray KUB was used to monitor patients in both groups. A computerized pre-structured proforma was used for all data collection. Result: - The victims were 27.58 6.20 years old on aggregate.There were 38(63.3%) male and 22(36.7%) female. Efficacy of URS treatment was significantly high as compare to ESWL [93.33% vs. 60%; p 0.002]. Conclusion: - This research shows that the results support the hypothesis that URS is more effective for proximal ureteric stone clearance than ESWL.

The development of open government data has attracted interest from academics and practitioners. However, only a few studies have examined a culture-based account of open government data development. This study empirically investigates the impact of national culture on open government data. Through the data investigation and analysis of 55 countries, this research finds that the development of open government data is positively linked with national culture with respect to individualism, indulgence and long-term orientation and is negatively related to power distance. Furthermore, this study shows that economic development moderates the relationship between national culture and open government data development, especially with respect to individualism and long-term orientation. Practically, the findings of this research can help policymakers better understand the multifaceted impacts of national culture on the development of open government data, including the promotion of cultural values (i.e. high individualism, high indulgence, and high long-term orientation) and the change in the passive and conservative attitude of citizens toward the openness of government data in countries where power distance culture is high.

Background Results from multiple clinical trials support patent foramen ovale closure after cryptogenic stroke in select patients, but it remains unclear how new data and updated professional society guidelines have impacted clinical practice. Here, we aimed to compare how stroke neurologists and interventional cardiologists approach patients with cryptogenic stroke with patent foramen ovale and how critical anatomic and clinical factors influence decision making. Methods and Results An electronic survey was administered to 1556 vascular neurologists and 1057 interventional cardiologists throughout the United States. The survey addressed factors such as patient age, preclosure workup, and postclosure antithrombotics. Clinical vignettes highlighted critical variables and used a 5‐point Likert scale to assess the providers' level of support for closure. There were 491 survey responses received from 301 (of 1556) vascular neurologists and 190 (of 1057) interventional cardiologists, with an overall response rate of 19%. Vascular neurologists were more likely to recommend against closure on the basis of older age (P

The aim of this manuscript is to present some new fixed point results in complete partially order metric spaces and to derive some extended forms of Suzuki and Banach fixed point theorems via a τ-distance by applying some new control functions. Our results are extensions of several existing fixed point theorems in the literature. To show the dominance of the established results, some examples and an application are studied.

Precipitation plays a critical role in hydrometeorological studies. A predictive analysis of gridded rainfall datasets may provide a cost-effective alternative to conventional rain gauge observations. Here, our objective is to evaluate the performance of satellite and reanalysis precipitation products in the hydrological modeling of a mesoscale watershed. The research also examines the accuracy of hydrological simulations in a sizeable flood-prone watershed in the absence of observed data associated with the myriad water retaining structures present in the catchment. We use three precipitation products, namely Tropical Rainfall Measurement Missions (TRMM) 3B42 Version 7, Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and daily precipitation data recorded at multiple rain gauges in the upper Huai River Basin to simulate streamflow. The Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is utilized for runoff modeling, while SWAT-CUP is used to perform sensitivity analysis and to calibrate and validate the simulation results. Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, percent bias, and Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE) are employed to evaluate modeling efficiency for three precipitation datasets on different temporal scales. The results indicate that TRMM and CFSR datasets provide satisfactory results on both daily and monthly scales. Specifically, the SWAT model performs better at monthly simulations than daily simulations for all precipitation datasets used. HIGHLIGHTS Examining the applicability of TRMM and CFSR daily precipitation products in simulating runoff from a large watershed.; Calibrating a hydrological model in the absence of data associated with extensive anthropogenic activities for flood prevention and diversion.; Performing streamflow simulations using a SWAT model and parameter calibration and sensitivity analysis using a SUFI-2 algorithm.;

Besides being chief construction ingredients, concrete and steel produce a high amount of CO2, and high energy consumption promotes global warming. To evade this problem, green and low energy consuming alternative is required. Rapid growing time with the least period to attend optimum strength made bamboo a new immerging mainstream constituent in construction. Bamboo, as one of the probable alternate structural materials, not only promises a sustainable and sturdy option but also reduces the environmental carbon footprint. In this research, article authors replaced steel reinforcement in concrete with bamboo. To establish bamboo as a construction material, a concrete beam of 200 mm × 500 mm is made in which bamboo bars of diameter 20 mm are used with a variation of 1 to 4% of the reinforcement area. Various tests were performed to provide the feasibility of bamboo as construction materials after 28 days of curing, in which test results were found promising. The impact test shows only 25% of wear and tear. Also, bamboo reinforced concrete (BRC) without changing cross sections provided 50% axial compressive strength compared to steel reinforced concrete (SRC). However, in the tensile test, BRC outperformed SRC by providing 50% more resistance against tensile load. Authors also performed rate analysis between SRC and BRC to find that it almost reduces 18% of the cost at a small scale. Hence here, comparative research is provided, and the authors believe that it would pave the road on which forthcoming researchers will walk to reach the destination of finding an alternate, sustainable, and green construction material in the form of bamboo.

Purpose - The distinct linkage between tourism and energy has received significant attention due to the recent momentum towards green tourism and environmental sustainability. Given the present growth trajectory of the tourism industry, we examine the selected South Asian countries' tourismrenewable energy nexus. Design - We obtain data (1995 to 2018) from the World Bank (2018) and the BP Statistical Review of World Energy (2018). Methodology - Second generation cointegration tests were conducted to verify the cointegrating relationship. DCCE and ARDL-PMG methods were used for long-run estimation. DumitrescuHurlin panel causality test was conducted to check long-run causalities. Finally, Variance Decomposition analysis was used to assess the effect of tourism on REs in the future Findings - Tourism and renewable energy consumption are positively associated in the long-run. Unidirectional causalities are observed from tourism to renewable energy uses at both the aggregate and disaggregate levels. Furthermore, tourism can significantly explain the predicted variation in the use of different renewable energies for the next 15 years. Originality - To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted to analyse the relationship between tourism and renewable energy consumption at both aggregate and disaggregated levels in South Asia. We also propose tourism-friendly renewable energy policies that may be key for continuing sustainable tourism development in the selected South Asian countries.

Abstract One of the ways in which localization algorithms in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been categorized is whether they are range‐based or range‐free. Range‐based algorithms use expensive hardware to measure one or more physical quantities and, in turn, use them to localize nodes with greater precision. In contrast, range‐free algorithms use coarse‐grained quantities like connectivity to localize nodes with limited precision. A middle way between these two approaches can be called a partial range‐based approach that can utilize the existing received signal strength indicator (RSSI) readings from sensor nodes to improve the already existing coarse‐grained localization methods. Another important consideration in WSNs is that a distributed localization algorithm is more computationally feasible as compared to its centralized counterpart. Keeping these two considerations in mind, a distributed localization algorithm is proposed here which falls in the aforementioned partial range‐based category. The proposed algorithm called RangeLookup‐MDS first creates subregions using connectivity information only. This is followed by the collection of RSSI readings from individual sensor nodes that are used to perform range lookup for inter‐node distance estimates in a lookup table. After that, relative localization in every subregion is performed using multidimensional scaling, and then the relative maps are stitched together to create a consistent (but relative) coordinate system. The algorithm also has the capability to compute absolute coordinates in two‐dimensional if the stitching step is executed with at least three non‐collinear anchor nodes with known locations. Simulation results on uniform as well as irregular networks of various sizes show that the proposed algorithm provides improved localization accuracy and reduces localization error up to 25% in comparison to a previous partial range‐based localization algorithm.

Reverse data delivery is one of the key operations in vehicular ad hoc networks which allows data delivery from roadside units (infrastructure) to vehicles. In the past, a number of data dissemination schemes have been proposed by researchers for the vehicular ad hoc networks to tackle the problem of data forwarding from vehicles and roadside units to data concentration points or Access Points (APs). In contrast, schemes for reverse data forwarding which allows a data concentration point to apprise the on-road vehicles about any eventuality or developing hazardous conditions are very few. This paper proposes a reverse data forwarding scheme which utilizes the characteristics of the road networks to inform passing vehicles of important information related to any accident, crash, or hazardous road conditions. The proposed scheme takes into account the geographical proximity factor by considering a localized sub-region/segment in the greater road network which is most adversely affected by the occurrence of some unfortunate road event. For its implementation, the scheme is dependent on DSRC-enabled roadside equipment to relay road-safety messages from AP to vehicles. In case if the passing vehicles are not fitted with DSRC on-board units, the scheme has the capability to directly interact with the variable-message signs on intersections with the objective of reaching as many vehicles as possible to increase the chances of message delivery. Simulation results using a small road segment confirm that the proposed scheme is more effective when the localized sub-region is smaller or in other words when more vehicles in the vicinity of the accident location are provided with pre-warning messages.

The purpose of this research is to highlight the relationship between green product attributes and consumer trust that influence consumers’ decision to purchase green products in the context of Pakistan. This study contributes to determining quantitatively how green product attributes such as physical, perceptual, and reflexive attributes influence consumers’ trust to purchase a green product and investigates the mediating role of green marketing. Data was collected from different industrial sectors through a survey questionnaire. We employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using the SMART-PLS software to check the reliability and validity of the constructs, and to test the hypotheses. This study reveals variations in terms of shaping the sustainable consumers’ buying behavior by modifying product attributes and green marketing strategies that are in congruence with the proposed hypotheses of this study. In the end, the findings and interpretations of the results are given which can guide the managers to develop effective green marketing campaigns in reshaping the purchase intentions of consumers toward their green products.

Background Evidence from randomized trials and updated professional society guidelines supports patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure after cryptogenic stroke in select patients. It is unclear how this has been integrated into real‐world practice, so we aimed to compare practice patterns between cardiologists and neurologists. Methods and Results In March of 2021, a survey of cardiologists and neurologists who work or previously trained at the University of Pennsylvania Health System assessed practice preferences with respect to PFO closure after stroke. Clinical vignettes isolated specific variables of interest and used a 5‐point Likert scale to assess the level of support for PFO closure. Stroke neurologists and interventional cardiologists were compared by Wilcoxon‐Mann–Whitney tests. Secondarily, Kruskal–Wallis tests compared stroke neurologists, general neurologists, interventional cardiologists, and general cardiologists. We received 106 responses from 182 survey recipients (31/31 stroke neurologists, 38/46 interventional cardiologists, 20/30 general neurologists, and 17/77 general cardiologists). A similar proportion of stroke neurologists and interventional cardiologists favored PFO closure in a young patient with cryptogenic stroke, 88% and 87%, respectively (P=0.54). Interventionalists were more likely than stroke neurologists to support closure in the context of an alternative high‐risk stroke mechanism, 14% and 0%, respectively (P=0.003). Stroke neurologists were more likely to oppose closure on the basis of older age (P=0.01). Conclusions There are key differences between how neurologists and cardiologists approach PFO closure after stroke, particularly when interpreting the stroke etiology and when considering closure beyond the scope of prior trials; this underscores the importance of collaboration between cardiologists and neurologists.

In this paper, a dual sensing scheduling algorithm is proposed which is a modified version of VISA technique for sensing scheduling in road networks where targets can enter from both sides of the road. VISA and similar algorithms are based on the idea of designated entrance points and protection points and are very suitable for military scenarios. In comparison, civilian applications mostly use two-way roads and dual carriageways with entrance points on both ends of the roads calling for a modification of the VISA technique to make it suitable for two-way detection. The proposed algorithm achieves detection on a two-way road by using two parallel scan waves originating from the midpoint sensor on the road segment but in opposite directions. The proposed modification of the VISA algorithm improves the detection time by reducing it to half as compared to VISA but at the cost of decreased network lifetime. The proposed algorithm is also compared to Duty Cycling and Always-Awake schemes. In addition, a very simple hole handling method is proposed which applies a comprehensive labeling scheme on all the sensors of the road network represented as vertices in an undirected graph of road network.

Investigations made to evaluate the site-effect characteristics and to develop a reliable site classification scheme have received paramount importance for the urban areas planning and reliable site-specific seismic hazard assessment. This paper presents a novel non-objective and data-driven approach for preliminary seismic site-specific classification maps using machine learning (ML) based on affinity propagation (AP) along with a selected set of representative horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) curves inside King Saud University (KSU) campus, which is among the main areas in Saudi Arabia. Besides, the proposed model aims to overcome the clustering error due to the dependency of the interpreter’s experience. Measurements of the ambient vibrations were performed to cover the entire campus area by about 307 stations. Recording at each station lasted for 20 minute length and a sample rate of 128 Hz for each station to satisfy the criteria for reliable and unambiguous HVSR results. Frequency and amplification values were used for subsequent site classification by passing messages between data points. The obtained results illustrate that the microtremor spectral ratio can be a remarkably robust tool in determining site effects. Accordingly, the proposed methodology can assist the decision-makers to set the priorities of managing land uses, estimating the earthquake losses, conducting programs for reducing the vulnerability of existing structures, enforcing building codes, planning for emergency response and long-term recovery, and designing and implementing phases of new constructions.

Multi‐hop routing in vehicular ad‐hoc networks (VANETs) and wireless sensor networks has attracted significant interest of researchers in the wireless ad‐hoc networks community. Most multi‐hop routing protocols in VANET are based around the idea of choosing the next destination, which will provide the shortest‐delay to reach a destination. To ensure better monitoring and reporting of road condition information, this study proposes location‐based data forwarding through roadside sensors using k ‐shortest path routing combined with Q‐learning. Q‐learning is used for exploration of the sensing field to determine those sensors which have a higher queuing delay during peak hours as well as those which have comparatively lower delays. The use of Q‐learning for exploration (sans routing) enables faster convergence for the sensors as compared to those techniques which utilise naive Q‐learning for shortest path routing. Secondly, multi‐hop routing is being combined with source coding (Huffman and Arithmetic coding) to compress the data payload of packets. This has shown some promising results for the VANETs employing dedicated short‐range communication.

Primary uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) with chondrosarcomatous differentiation is extremely rare. We report a case of a 68-year-old, African American woman who presented with postmenopausal bleeding. Ultrasonography (USG) revealed multiple uterine fibroids. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH/BSO) was performed. Microscopic examination of the largest intramural nodule showed high-grade sarcoma, comprising of LMS with a focal transformation to undifferentiated sarcoma with chondrosarcomatous differentiation. Endometrium was benign excluding carcinosarcoma. Heterologous differentiation has rarely been described in metastatic or recurrent uterine LMS; however, a primary uterine LMS with chondrosarcomatous differentiation has not been reported previously.

Androgen receptor splice variants (AR-SVs) contribute to the aggressive growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). AR-SVs, including AR-V7, are expressed in ~30% of CRPC, but minimally in treatment-naïve primary prostate cancer (PCa). Compared to Caucasian American (CA) men, African American (AA) men are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive/potentially lethal PCa and have shorter disease-free survival. Expression of a truncated AR in an aggressively growing patient-derived xenograft developed with a primary PCa specimen from an AA patient led us to hypothesize that the expression of AR-SVs could be an indicator of aggressive growth both in PCa progression and at the CRPC stage in AA men. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were created from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) prostatectomy tumor blocks from 118 AA and 115 CA treatment-naïve PCa patients. TMAs were stained with AR-V7-speicifc antibody and with antibodies binding to the N-terminus domain (NTD) and ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the AR. Since over 20 AR-SVs have been identified, and most AR-SVs do not as yet have a specific antibody, we considered a 2.0-fold or greater difference in the NTD vs. LBD staining as indication of potential AR-SV expression. Two AA, but no CA, patient tumors stained positively for AR-V7. AR staining with NTD and LBD antibodies was robust in most patients, with 21% of patients staining at least 2-fold more for NTD than LBD, indicating that AR-SVs other than AR-V7 are expressed in primary treatment-naïve PCa. About 24% of the patients were AR-negative, and race differences in AR expression were not statistically significant. These results indicate that AR-SVs are not restricted to CRPC, but also are expressed in primary PCa at higher rate than previously reported. Future investigation of the relative expression of NTD vs. LBD AR-SVs could guide the use of newly developed treatments targeting the NTD earlier in the treatment paradigm.

In today’s dynamic market environment, information technology (IT) enables firms to obtain knowledge they need to achieve superior performance. To this end, the present study explores the effects of IT, absorptive capacity (ACAP), and dynamic capabilities (DCs) on firm performance (FP) by employing empirical research design. In addition, the study focuses on the DCs perspective and ACAP as a firm knowledge-based view focusing on those firms where technology involved in either a particular unit of the firm or as a whole in operational processes. The data (total 241) was analyzed through AMOS, a mathematical analysis methodology focused on structural equation modeling (SEM). Moreover, through Sobel test we further verify the indirect impact of IT on FP.

Background and Purpose: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), compared to single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT), lowers the risk of stroke or death early after TIA and minor ischemic stroke. Prior trials excluded moderate to severe strokes, due to a potential increased risk of bleeding. We aimed to compare in-hospital bleeding rates in SAPT and DAPT patients with moderate or severe stroke (defined by NIHSS ≥4).Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of ischemic stroke over a 2-year period with admission NIHSS ≥4. The primary outcome was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) with any change in NIHSS. Secondary outcomes included systemic bleeding and major bleeding, a composite of serious systemic bleeding and symptomatic ICH. We performed analyses stratified by stroke severity (NIHSS 4–7 vs. 8+) and by preceding use of tPA and/or thrombectomy. Univariate followed by multivariate logistic regression evaluated whether DAPT was independently associated with bleeding.Results: Of 377 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 148 received DAPT (39%). Symptomatic ICH was less common with DAPT compared to SAPT (0.7 vs. 6.4%, p < 0.01), as was the composite of major bleeding (2.1 vs. 7.6%, p = 0.03). Symptomatic ICH was numerically less frequent in the DAPT group, but not statistically significant, when stratified by stroke severity (NIHSS 4–7: 0 vs. 5.9%, p = 0.06; NIHSS 8+: 1.5 vs. 6.6%, p = 0.18) and by treatment with tPA and/or thrombectomy (Yes: 2.6 vs. 9.1%, p = 0.30; No: 0 vs. 2.9%, p = 0.25). DAPT was not associated with major bleeding in either the univariate or the multivariate regression.Conclusions: In this single center cohort, symptomatic ICH and the composite of serious systemic bleeding and symptomatic ICH was rare in patients on DAPT. Relative to single antiplatelet therapy DAPT was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital bleeding in patients with moderate and severe ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent cause of voiding problems in older males and is most commonly associated with acute urological complications, most important of which is acute urinary retention (AUR). α1- antagonists are the treatment of choice for the management of patients with BPH. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of tamsulosin for the treatment of patients with AUR due to BPH in terms of trial without catheter (TWOC). METHODOLOGY: This randomized control trial was conducted in a Urology Section, Department of Surgery, SIUT Karachi, from 21-12-2016 to 20-06-2017. Our study included 136 patients who presented AUR due to BPH as per selection criteria. Patients were randomized into two groups. Group A patients received tamsulosin (0.4 mg), and group B patients received placebo drug immediately after insertion of Foley catheter. The success of TWOC was evaluated after 3 days of medical treatment. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS v20.0. RESULTS: The mean age of the study patients was 59.45 + 8.05 years. The mean duration of BPH disease was 15.39 + 6.84 months. There were 33 (48.5%) patients in the tamsulosin group in which TWOC was successful and only 22 (32.4%) patients in placebo group in which TWOC was successful (p-value 0.04). There was no effect of age and duration of BPH disease on the outcome of this study. CONCLUSION: Tamsulosin is effective for the treatment of patients with AUR due to BPH.

For autonomous robots, 3D perception of environment is an essential tool, which can be used to achieve better navigation in an obstacle rich environment. This understanding requires a huge amount of computational resources; therefore, the real-time 3D reconstruction of surrounding environment has become a topic of interest for countless researchers in the recent past. Generally, for the outdoor 3D models, stereo cameras and laser depth measuring sensors are employed. The data collected through the laser ranging sensors is relatively accurate but sparse in nature. In this paper, we propose a novel mechanism for the incremental fusion of this sparse data to the dense but limited ranged data provided by the stereo cameras, to produce accurate dense depth maps in real-time over a resource limited mobile computing device. Evaluation of the proposed method shows that it outperforms the state-of-the-art reconstruction frameworks which only utilizes depth information from a single source.

Intangible resources are widely considered the main source of gaining competitive advantage and sustain superior performance in transition and emerging economies such as China, particularly in SMEs sector. In this paper, we argue theoretically (under resource-based view RBV) and demonstrate empirically that intangible resources (e.g. dynamic managerial capabilities (DMC) and dominant logic (DL)) are indispensable for long-term superior firm performance. We calculate CFA to test the measurement model. With an empirical study of 328 SMEs in China, the results indicate that highly competitive environment facilitates the impact of dominant logic on firm performance. Furthermore, our results also support that there is a significant mediating role of dominant logic between dynamic managerial capabilities and firm performance. In the end, we discussed managerial implications and theoretical contributions. Keywords: SMEs, Dominant logic, Dynamic managerial capabilities, Performance and competitive intensity

We aim to examine the nexus between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Renewable Energy Consumption (REC), and income inequality across selected High-Income Countries (HIC), Upper Middle-Income Countries (UMIC), Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), and Low-Income Countries (LIC). Given the cross-sectional dependency, slope homogeneity, and stationarity properties, we find that the aforementioned variables across all the regions are cointegrated in the long run (LR). For LR estimation, we use the Cross-Sectional-Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) approach. For the HIC and the UMIC, an increase in FDI increases REC, which in turn causes income inequality to decrease. In the case of LMIC, an increase in REC causes an increase in FDI and decreases income inequality. However, we could not establish a significant relationship with the LIC. We also provide some useful recommendations, such as increased institutional efficiency and promotion of renewable energy investments through higher access to finance.

Binge patterns of alcohol use among post-high school emerging adults are associated with both immediate negative consequences and increased risk of long-term drinking problems, particularly among individuals with a family history (FH) of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Therefore, the developmental time period of emerging adulthood, paired with the high-risk environment of college campuses, represents an important target for interventions. Attentional ability has recently emerged as a mediator of resilience to stress-related psychopathology and offers a potential neurocognitive target for interventions. We tested the hypothesis that attentional ability promotes resilience to binge drinking in a sample of 464 college students with (n = 221) or without (n = 243) familial risk for AUD. Two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) tested effects of FH and self-reported binge drinking on attention scores from the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). In addition, mediation analyses tested whether BIS attention scores mediated the relationship between Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale scores and binge drinking. ANCOVA results indicated a significant FH-by-binge drinking interaction (p = 0.008) in which FH positive subjects who did not binge drink had the fewest attention problems, consistent with a marker of resilience. Furthermore, BIS attention scores significantly mediated the effect of Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale scores on binge drinking, with stronger effects in FH positive subjects (p < 0.001) than FH negative subjects (p = 0.49). The findings suggest that attention promotes resilience to binge drinking in individuals with familial risk for AUD. Interventions targeting attentional ability in this high-risk population, particularly FH positive individuals with attention deficits, may serve to reduce binge drinking and its consequences.

In this manuscript, using the concept of multivalued contractions, some new Banach- and Caristi-type fixed point results are established in the context of metric spaces. For the reliability of the presented results, some examples and applications to Volterra integral type inclusion are also studied. The established results unify and generalize some existing results from the literature.

The relationship between energy and output is one of the key issues in economic literature. Existing empirical studies have mainly used the neoclassical one-sector aggregate production function to examine the energy-output nexus and revealed inconclusive results. To address this issue, in this paper, we develop a two-sector model differentiating the energy sector from the conventional production sector to study the energy-output linkage for the Bangladesh economy. Using the annual data from 1985 to 2018, we conduct several unit root tests and reveal that our variables are stationary at their first difference. We further use the Johansen-Juselius cointegration and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds tests and find that the variables are cointegrated in the long-run. By using three robust estimators (Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS), and Dynamic ARDL), we reveal that a 1% increase in energy can increase the output by 0.06–0.10% in the long-run. We also run the Granger causality test and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to check the long-run and short-run causality. Our results find a unidirectional causality running from energy to output in the long-run but not in the short-run. We recommend that a reliable supply of energy needs to be ensured for future sustainable development in Bangladesh.

People have informal conversations on social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, etc) that shed light on the current issuesaround the world – opinions, and concerns about the learning process. Data from such environments can provide valuableinformation to predict the future to make effective decision making, however, the usage of such data is challenging. Thecomplexity of such data from social media content requires the use of human understanding as well as social networkanalysis to make predictions. We focused on political groups around the world to discover linkages behind the Terrorismaround the World to make predictions depend upon the data available. In this research paper, we focused on tweets relatedto the politicians and communities based on hashtags like #Syria #Weapons #Terrorist, etc. to identify the linkages of theuser who are talking about these issues depending upon the HashTag we used for the content analysis of social network byusing Gephi to make a prediction.

This study aims to investigate social media (hygiene factor), motivators (allow employees to share knowledge), and employee’s knowledge sharing motivation (KSM). For this purpose, the author introduces two-factor theory as its research framework to propose research hypotheses and construct the theoretical model. Then the model is tested and validated based on a survey of 278 enterprise employees in China, utilizing structural equation modeling through SPSS statistics and AMOS. It is found that first, the three states of knowledge sharing (lack of motivation, intermediate state, and with motivation) constitute two continuums. The satisfaction of motivators and hygiene factors respectively lead to changes in the state of motivation to share, and second, social media affects the staff’s motivation to share through both a direct and an indirect pathway. Directly, as the hygiene factor, the absence of social media will weaken the staff’s motivation to share. However, its usage doesn’t directly increase employees’ sharing motivation. Indirectly, through the mediating effect of self-efficacy social media can influence knowledge sharing motivation of employees.

Abstract The world of DNA sequencing has not only been a difficult field since it was first worked upon, but it is also growing at an exponential rate. The amount of data involved in DNA searching is huge, thereby normal tools or algorithms are not suitable to handle this degree of data processing. BLAST is a tool given by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) to compare nucleotide or protein sequences to sequence databases and calculate the statistical significance of matches. Many variants of BLAST such as blastn, blastp, blastx, etc. are used to search for nucleotides, proteins, nucleotides-to-proteins sequences respectively. GPU-BLAST and HBLAST have already been proposed to handle the vast amount of data involved in searching DNA sequencing and they also speedup the searching process. In this article, we propose a new model for searching DNA sequences—HCudaBLAST. It involves CUDA processing and Hadoop combined for efficient searching. The results recorded after implementing HCudaBLAST are shown. This solution combines the multi-core parallelism of GPGPUs and the scalability feature provided by the Hadoop framework.

Firms belong to social communities that are experts in creation of new knowledge from environment. Knowledge that is generated from past experience and from environment can affect firm’s process positively. Processing knowledge assimilation in a better way, strong leadership abilities are needed. That can recognize knowledge from environment in the sense of opportunities and threats. In this article, we discuss the effect of absorptive capacity (ACAP) and dominant logic (DL) on enterprise resource planning (ERP). Dynamic capabilities (DC) of top managers to absorb the knowledge from the environment and assimilate it according to their needs that improve firm’s enterprise resource planning (ERP). Our main focus in this article is knowledge and how top-level managers routine that knowledge to get the future benefits for their respective firms. The model was adopted from past literature that shows the effect of absorptive capacity its subsets and dominant logic and its dimensions on ERP assimilation. For this study we examined the Chinese firms located in Hefei city (Anhui province) China. Hefei is one of the fastest developing and emerging economic hub in China. Employees from top level are the target group in this study. The results prove our hypotheses that absorptive capacity and dominant logic have a positive influence on ERP in Chinese firms, that not only increases the productivity and performance of the firm, but also helps in the allocation of resources and decision making processes to stand in the dynamic market and oppose any kind of threats. Our results showed positive correlation between all the variables.

Public organization’s performance depends on multiple aspects in which there are different polit-ical and public actors involved. In this study, we discuss the innovation performance of public organizations’ in Hefei (Anhui province), China. Our targeted group for this study were public sector employees at different levels within the organizations being considered. We checked the effect of absorptive capacity (ACAP), and dominant logic on public organization’s innovation performance. We found that absorptive capacity and dominant logic had a positive relation-ship with firms’ performance. Furthermore, these predictors were not only improving firm’s per-formance, but also bring innovation into the public organizations.

Nanofluids are composed of nano-sized particles dispersed in a carrier liquid. The present investigation’s aim is to examine theoretically the magneto-thermomechanical coupling phenomena of a heated nanofluid on a stretched surface in the presence of magnetic dipole impact. Fourier’s law of heat conduction is used to evaluate the heat transmission rate of the carrier fluids ethylene glycol and water along with suspended nanoparticles of a cobalt–chromium–tungsten–nickel alloy and magnetite ferrite. A set of partial differential equations is transformed into a set of non-linear ordinary differential equations via a similarity approach. The computation is performed in Matlab by employing the shooting technique. The effect of the magneto-thermomechanical interaction on the velocity and temperature boundary layer profiles with the attendant effect on the skin friction and heat transfer is analyzed. The maximum and minimum thermal energy transfer rates are computed for the H2O-Fe3O4 and C2H6O2-CoCr20W15Ni magnetic nanofluids. Finally, the study’s results are compared with the previously available data and are found to be in good agreement.

Limited data suggest that tigecycline may be of value in the treatment of Clostridiumdifficile infection. We reviewed our experience using tigecycline to treat severe c. difficile and compared outcomes to similarly ill patients who did not receive tigecycline. We found no difference between the groups. Further study is needed before tigecycline can be recommended for use in severe C. difficile infection.